In the spirit of Halloween I present to you, Computer Horrors

[Niclo Iste]

I found this in my morninig reading today. I wish I had pics of the terrors I have encountered, but they don't make cameras that can capture both the visuals and aromas that have scarred me during on-site visits. Without further delay I present Computer Horrors.

[Zonie]

Ah just in time for Halloween. Great find.

[BOB IROC]

I have had some computers that belonged to Smokers and when you open them the dust does not move and looks like a blanket of yellow and black lint. I have had to put on rubber gloves and face masks because of all the toxins and don't even get me started on the smell. When I get home I should see if I still have some of the pictures that I took and showed the customer as justification to charge them extra for cleaning it up. I usually just use some canned air and clean a computer as part of the diagnostic fee but these required extra compensation.


Of course I think the worst one I had was when I was working for Gateway out of one of their retail stores as a bench tech and I opened a computer and a family of cockroaches scattered everywhere. The inside of the computer was infested with them and their nests. Pictures and video were taken and the customer actually had to pay for the Gateway Store to have pest control come take care of them. They tried to refuse but they were ordered by the village health department or something or they would have to go to jail. Some disease and safety law they used to get that done.

[Niclo Iste]

My favorite was the "Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark" computer. It came in with a light finie dust and thin veils of cobwebs inside, I felt like I was opening an Egyptian tomb when I peered into it. The other was not so favorite. It was in a ghetto house that had no doors, rotting half eaten cans of dog food (no dog though) all around, no furniture, lots of wooden boxes to sit on though, and swarming with roaches. The computer in question was caked in roach excrement and the smells were god awful, not to mention the fact that it was mid day and hundreds of roaches were skittering around the entire house and all over the pc and its screen as I was working. I left "to get a tool" and never went back. I then told my boss if he makes me go back I will quit on the spot.

[BOB IROC]

My favorite was the "Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark" computer....

Well I hope if you had to remove a component you quickly placed something of equal weight and size in it's place to stop the giant boulder from crushing you.


Oh wait... that was the Temple of Doom... My bad.


I guess I am glad that I am not the only one that had to deal with a roach infested computer.

[slgrieb]

Nice, Niclo. Even by the standards of the Dust Bowl, where I work, some of these were quite impressive. I particularly enjoyed the assortment of wildlife. All I ever get is a few roaches and the occasional scorpion.

[Guts3d]

!!! Scorpion! I thought I had the worst when I found a dessicated spider in one. I remember a few years back someone found a snake had crawled into the power supply.. I'll look through my slush pile of pictures to see if I can find it. Nice find, Niclo!

[CeeBee]

Those dust bunnies are nothing compared to some computers I had the "pleasure" to work on.
Imagine a machining shop with 20-something big CNC machines where the air is so full of coolant mist that the skin feels sticky after a couple of hours.
Now imagine the computers that have been sitting there for years...